REPORT ON WINTON AND KINGSTON RAILWAY.

Southland Times, Issue 1783, 22 August 1873, Page 4

REPORT ON WINTON AND KINGSTON RAIL WAY.

Public Works Office, Dunedin, 4th March, 1873. Sir, —The Winton and Kingston Railway is an extension of the present line from the Bluff to Winton. It ia seventy miles in length, and runs through a generally easy country. The present popula- : tion which will be served by the railway | is about 6000, exclusive of those living south of Winton, who will number about 3000 more. In estimating the probable revenue, I have been guided largely by the existing traffic on the Bluff and Winton line. I have not taken into account the traffic between Dunedin and 1 Dunstan, which will probably, for some years at least, pass through Tuapeka ; but it appears to me a likely contingency that, hereafter, the Dunstan District will receive its supplies from the Bluff, the nearest seaport, instead of from Dunedin, in which case the traffic on the Winton and Kingston line will be increased at the expense of the Tokomairiro and Lawrence Railway. As a proof of the rapid increase of traffic which may be looked for after the lines have been open a few years, I may mention that the increase of last year's traffic on the Bluff and Winton line, over that of 1871, was 30 per cent, for passengers and 145 per cent, for gopda. With such facts as these before us, it will readily be believed that the modest reve cue of 3 per cent, which I estimate will be earned at first, will very soon be increased to more than the interest on the cost of the railway at 5 per cent. — I have, &c, Joss Caebbthebs, Eng-ineer-in-Chief. The Hon. the Minister for Public Works, Wellington. WINTON AND KINGSTON RAILWAY. Revenue. Passengers, 15,000, at 20s ... £15.000 0 0 Goods, 5,000 tons, at 20s ... 5,000 0 0 Wool, 10,-00 bales, at 5s ... 2,500 O 0 Timber, 10,000 c.b.m., at 4s ... 2,000 0 0 Coal and firewood, 1,000 tons, at 15s 750 0 0 Sundries 750 0 0 £26,000 0 0 Working expenses ... ... 18.5J0 0 0 Net profit £7,500 0 0